Games in which opposing players compete to form words from individual letters are very old and indeed have probably existed as long as there has been written language. No doubt there have been, and will continue to be, innumerable variations to such games, but all such word games share several common characteristics: (1) a pool of available letters from which to form words, (2) a set of rules to govern word formation and (3) a method for identifying which particular player has formed the most words during a particular interval so that a game winner can eventually be declared.
An example of one type of word game is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 810,631 granted to S. F. Evos on Jan. 23, 1906. In this game, a board is used which is divided into adjacent spaces of different colors. Nine rows of spaces are provided, each row containing seventeen white and red spaces arranged alternately. Two distinguishable sets of game pieces are employed, each game piece bearing one letter with no two pieces having the same letter. In play, the game pieces are arranged alphabetically upon predetermined board rows and moved one space at a time in any direction until adjacent game pieces can be used to form words of three or more letters. Each player completing a word has the privilege of removing an opponents piece from the board with specific removal rules applying for vowles and consonants. The game ends when one player has lost sixteen pieces.
Another word formation game is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,016,243 granted to William R. Irwin on June 6, 1962. This game employs a set of playing cards, each having certain areas which are opaque and other areas which are transparent. The opaque areas of the playing cards are provided with displays, such as letters. In play, the cards are drawn from a deck and placed on a playing surface having a pattern corresponding to that of the spacing of the opaque and transparent areas on the cards. The cards are then superimposed, one card over another, or over the playing surface, to form words. Scoring is accomplished by counting the number of words formed or the number of letters used in word formation.
Examples of other games using both letters and numbers can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,613,204, 1,764,448, 2,585,458, 4,131,282 and 4,346,889.
Notwithstanding the wide variety of known word games, the search has continued for an exciting and challenging word game that requires skill and intelligence yet is still "fun" to play.
It is, therefore, an object of the instant invention to provide a word game that requires skill and strategy yet is relatively simple to learn.
It is another object of the instant invention to provide a word game that requires only simple and inexpensive apparatus for playing the game.
It is a further object of the instant invention to provide a word game in which the letter pool is chosen to provide for formation of a large number of possible words, thus creating an exciting and challenging word game.
It is a still further object of the instant invention to provide a word game in which the number of letters from words formed by each opposing player is readily apparent from a visual inspection of the playing surface.
It is another object of the instant invention to provide a word game in which letters an opponent has used in word formation can be commandeered for use by a challenging player, thus imparting a high level of excitement and skill to the game.